The International Court of Arbitration (ICA) has not granted a stay to Pakistan over India’s construction of the Kishenganga Hydroelectric Power Project (KHEP) on the Ganga River in Kashmir.
According to reports, Pakistan had claimed that work on its own Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project (NHJEP) would seriously suffer as a consequence of KHEP’s construction and had tried to halt the dam’s construction. Sources said the arbitrary court had asked India to submit a report on the environmental effect of the dam’s construction and the Indian delegation had requested submission on October 7.
However, the court asked India to submit the report on September 7. Pakistan had in November 2009 proposed establishment of a court of arbitration and appointment of neutral experts to resolve the Kishenganga dam dispute with India. “Establishment of a court of arbitration and appointment of neutral experts will be proposed to India, as New Delhi has failed to satisfy Pakistan during the negotiations between Indus Water commissioners,” Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah had said. Pakistan and India signed the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in 1960, which allowed appointment of a neutral expert by the World Bank (WB) as a last resort to address water disputes between the neighbouring countries.